Aircraft



Jan. 16, 1923. Y 1,442,155,. A. KLEMIN.

AIRCRAFT.

FILED MAR- 19, 1920. a SHEETSSHEET 1.

' FIG-l FIE-2 INVENTOR Y ATTORNEY A. KLEMIN.

AIRCRAFT J an. 16, 1923.

FILED MAR-19,1920.

6 SHEETSSHEET 2.

FIG-:5

I INVENTOP.

ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1923. 1,442,155. A. KLEMIN.

AIRCRAFT.

FILED MAR.I9,1920. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4- ATTORNEY GINVENTOR I Jan. 16, 1923. 1,442,155.

A. KLEMIN.

AIRCRAFT.

FILED MAR. 19. 1920. a SHEETS-SHEET s.

INVENTDRI BY I AT TOR NE Y J an. 16, 1923.

A. KLEMIN.

AIRCRAFT. FILED MAR. 19, 1920. e SHl IETS-SHEET a.

FIG-U INVENTOR ATTQENEY Patented Jan. 16, 1923.

ALEXANDER KLEMIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AIRCRAFT.

Application filed March 19, 1920. Serial No. 367,098.

To all whom itmay concern I Be it known that I. Amzxaxnan lunnIN,

a citizen-of the I -nited States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Aircraft, of. which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the landing gear of heavier-than-air flying machines, and my improvements are particularly directed to novel means for mounting traction wheels upon hydroairpla-nes, both of the flying boat and pontoon types, in order that such craft may be adapted for operation upon land and ice as well as on water.

Therefore my invention comprises the employmentof wheels whose attachment to a boat or pontoon is of such adjustable charactor that they can be used for traction purposes,-.in which instance they are extended below the bottom surface of the boat or pontoon with which they are connected, whilst also being capable of withdrawal to an elevated position, relatively tothe boator pontoon, to be above such bottom surface and in non-interfering relation with the flotation and water travel of the craft.

A further feature of invention comprised in tl1is application consists in the provision of housings for the reception of the wheels in their elevated positions, said housings being of stream-lined conformation. to constitute fairings, so that the wheels, when elevated, will by means of said fairings offer a minimum of head resistance both when the craft is speeding upon the surface of the water and in flight. i

Various forms of mechanical control whereby the traction wheels for aircraft may be shifted to and from their operative and inoperative positions are exemplified in this application, .without prejlidice to such other modifications as may fall within the spirit and scope of my invention, but as indicative of its structural versatility for the equipment therewith of different types and models of aircraft.

My invention ,with other features and advantages thereof will be found more completely described hereinafter.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a flying boat provided with my improved dis-f placeable wheels. removable housingstherefor, and worm gear control means. v

Fig. 2 is a rear, partially sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to that of Fig. 1, but showing linked control means.

Fig. 4 is a like view, showing cabled control means.-

ing, wherein a. linked control is employed. III a pontoon craft, for the displaceable wheels.

Fig. 9 is a similar view wherein the con-- trol is of cabled character.

Fig.- 10 is a side elevation of a pontoon machine equipped with my improvement, and

Fig. 11 is a. partial front elevation thereof, with the amphibious feature removed and a land chassis substituted therefor.

Referring to that example of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, let 1 indicate the flotation member of a flying boat.

having the. side wall structure 2. It being one of the purposes of my invention to provide means for displaceably mounting traction wheels upon the flotation member. a

shaft 3 is shown as journalled in bearings 4 i in each side of member 1 (although the bearing at one side only is shown). each end portion of said shaft, projecting outside the flotation member, having bracing 3, and carryingthe pendent fork members which. at their lower ends, are fitted with a usual form of cushioned bearing 6 for the axle 7 upon which wheel 8 is jourualled.

The fork members 5, in the normal. extended position of wheels 8, for landing and traction purposes are arranged with a rearward inclination relatively to their shaft :3, in order that under service conditions shocks and strains may be conununicated lengthwise rather than angular-1y of said forks to shaft Further the fork for each wheel forms wheel axis to the boat structure, asfor a land chassis, the other member being in the. form of astrut 9, shown as pivotally connected at to the bearing 7 and extended upwardly and rearwardly to its point of engagement. 11 with theboat structure. At said point .of engagement 11 the strut 9 is entered within a longitudinal slot 12 provided at the side of the boat, and, with the wheel extended for service, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, strut 9 is at the rearward limit .of its movement in slot 12. Also in Fig. 1, in dotted lines, I have shown the retracted or displaoedposition of wheel 8 and the struts 5 and 9, wherein strut -5 has been swung forwardly by itsshaft .3, and strut 9 has by sliding in slot 12 and swinging upon its pivotal connection 10, moved to its retracted position where it is limited as to its further forward movement by engagement with .the front end of slot 12.

As means for effecting the extended and i retracted movements of Wheel 8 and its struts 5 and. 9, I provide agear segment 13', fast upon shaft 3, and in mesh with a .worm 14,

carried by a rod '15, that is journalled as at 16 and provided as with a crank 17 for manual operation.

In its retracted position the wheel is located at the side of the boat structure, free and clear above the water line, so as to be in noninterfering relation with the boat in its operation on water.

Also I provide a housing -18, attached to the side of the boat structure, in position, and arranged with a. bottom opening to receive the wheel, or the-maj or portion thereof, when retracted. Said housing is streamlined, to constitute a fairing. and thus to diminish the head resistance of the housing 1 structure.

Housing 18 is secured to the side of the boat structure as bybolts 18 to be readily removable in "case it is desired-to dispense therewith; and also the shaft'3, with forks 5, wheels 8 and strut 9, may be readily removed inthe event the craft isto be employed solely as a flying boat.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3

the control mechanism whereby the wheeled landing gear of the structure shown in' Figs. 1 and 2 is moved between its two positions is seen to consist of the'pivotal links 19, 20, wherein link 20 'is fast on the shaft 3, and link 19 has pivotal engagement with a bellcrank-lever 21, that is fulcrumed at 22 and is provided with a manlpulating handle 23.

Still other control means are shown in Fig.

i 4, wherein the shaft 3 is provided with a rocker having the oppositely extending arms 24, 25, which each engage therespective ends of a flexible connector 26, that'extends rear wardly and is wrapped about a. drum 27,

having a handle 28,'whereby-said drum may be oscillated and, thus serve to rock the shaft 3 oppositely, to move it and the wheeled landing gear into and out of service posi-I tion.

In-the structure of Fig. 5 I have shown,

in the sectional View there given a hull structure for a boat having side recesses or compartments 29, each bounded by the outerside walls 30 of the hull and inner partitions or Walls 31,,said recesses or compartments each having an upper bracing 32 in the form of a transverse member for said recess or com partment. The shaft 33, that carries the. forks 34 in which wheels 35 are mounted,,is

journalled in bearings 36 carried respectively by the outer walls 30, and is enclosed by a sleeve 37 that extends between the inner walls 31.

In this form of my I invention, control mechanism corresponding with the forms thereof previouslydescribed and illustrated in other figures of the drawings, may be employed, whereby the wheels 35 maybe )swung upwardly into recesses 29 when not in service, and downwardly to their operative position. v

The recesses-29 are each 'provided with a movable cover, whereby they" may be closed in closing and opening respectively with the raising and lowering movements of wheels 35.

4 In Figs. 6 and 7 the operative elements of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are repeated as applied to a pontoon machine. In'this example, however, a body portion or fuselage 43 is shown as supported. above one or,more pontoons (one only being shown).

as bystruts 44. Also in this example the housing 45 is attached to the pontoon, and

the wheel actuating mechanism differs from i that shown in Figs." 1' andf2 in that the con-- trolrod 46, whoseworm 47 meshes with the sector 48, is extended upwardly into 'the cockpit of the; fuselage,'for operation by the pilot.-

The detail view of Fig. 8 shows only a .housing'49, and the wheel 50 in its two posi tions. But the acuating mechanism 'is here represented as comprising-a lever 51, pivoted at 52, and carryinga pitman 52 which is.

in pivotal engagement, througha link "53, withthe wheel fork 54. A flexible connector 55, passed over a pulley 56, connects the fork 541with a rearwardly mounted link 55, said and 62 respectively on the shaft 3 and a shaft 63, the sheave 62 being manipulable by a handle 64.

-My' invention still further contemplates the adaptation of support means for an aircraft in such-wise that the craft may be utilized as an amphibious structure, or solely as either a water machine or a land machine. Thus, in Fig. 10, I have shown, in side elevation, a ontoon machine provided with -my displacea le wheels-wherein the pontoon 65, which-is intended to be representative of one or more pontoons, has the displaceable wheels 66, housings 6'? therefor, manipulable means (not shown) as. in the other illustrated forms of my invention, and struts 68 removably connecting the pontoon with body portion 69'. But the struts 68 can be readily removed, and then'an ordinary type of land chassis, like that shown in Fig. 11, can be removably attached to the body portion60.

Variations'may be resorted to withinthe spirit and scope of my said invention and parts thereof used without others.

I 'claim:-

1. In a heavier-than-air flying machine, in combination, flotation means for water use, a shaft journaled in said flotation means, forks carried by said shaft for rotation therewith, traction wheels mounted in said forks and movable through a vertical arc with the rotation of said shaft, housings for said wheels located in the arcuatepath of said wheels to receive them when displaced, a hinged coverfor each housing, and means for communicating the movement of said shaft t6 said covers whereby thelatter are caused to close said housings as the wheels enter therein, and to open said housings as the wheels are extended therefrom to their traction positions.

2. In a heavier-than-air flying machine, in.

combination, flotation means for water use,-

a shaft journalled in said flotation means, forks carried by said 'shaft for rotation therewith, traction wheels mounted in=said forks, said forks being rearwardly inclined toward their wheel axes in the extended.

traction "position of said wheels, complementary rear'struts, in V relation withsaid forks in said wheel extended position, to"

comprise a wheel bracing couple for landings, and longitudinal guides in said flota-- tion member for the upper ends of said rear struts, whereby the latter are forwardly slidable in the rotation of said shaft which serves to carry said forks, upwardly and remove said wheels from their traction position.

3. In a heavier-than-air machine, in combination, flotation means-for water use, a shaft journalled in. said I flotation means, hangers carried by said shaft for rotation therewith, traction wheels carried by said hangers, said hangers being rearwardly in-- tion position of said wheels, complementary rear struts, in angled relation with said hangers in the traction position of said wheels, to comprise a wheel bracing couple for landings, longitudinal'guides in said flotationmember for "the upper ends of. said rear struts, whereby tlielatter are forwardly slidable in the rotation'of said shaft which serves to carry said hangers upwardly and remove the wheels fromtheir traction position, and engaging means to limit the rear- 'ward movement of said rear struts.

4. In a three service lieavier-than-air flying machine comprisinga body portion, and a removable flotation element therefor, a revolilble shaft journaled in said flotation element, hangers carried by saidshaft. and

clined towardtheil' wheel axes in the tracwheels mounted in said hangers to be movable through a vertical are, for displacement, in the rotation of said shaft, whereby said machine may be operable either upon land or water, housings located in the arcuate path of said wheels to receive the latter when ALEXANDER KLEMIN. 

